SC to list TN plea on TASMAC ED search transfer

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider a plea by the Tamil Nadu government, which seeks to transfer its case regarding the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on TASMAC from the Madras High Court to a different high court outside the state.

Earlier, on March 25, a division bench of the Madras High Court, comprising Justices M S Ramesh and N Senthilkumar, recused itself from hearing the case filed by TASMAC, the state-run liquor retailer. No specific reason was given for their withdrawal.

Senior advocate Vikram Chaudhari, representing the Tamil Nadu government, urged the Supreme Court to hear the plea urgently before the next scheduled hearing in the high court. The case was filed under Article 139A of the Constitution, which allows the Supreme Court to transfer cases between high courts. Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna responded, We will list it.

The ED had conducted raids on TASMAC’s premises last month, following which the high court, on March 20, directed the agency to submit the FIR, the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), and other materials related to the investigation. The court also verbally asked the ED to not take any further action until the next hearing.

In its petition, TASMAC asked the court to restrain the ED from harassing its staff under the pretext of investigation. The state also argued that ED’s actions within Tamil Nadu violated the principles of federalism, as law and order is a state subject. The ED claims to have uncovered serious financial irregularities.